Thursday, 28 May 2009

Yep, we're all going on a weeks break to Cornwall - yippee!!! Our school bundle all their teacher training days into 1 week after the May half term - how great is that in terms of getting a cheaper break away?!

Got into a bit of a cold sweat when we booked it as I wanted to go to the Vintage and Handmade fair this coming Saturday, but it's en route so all good. I'll be in tow with hubby and 2 little herberts and I think hubby thinks that as the car will be jam packed I won't be able to make too many purchases - ha, we'll see about that!

I always get so stressed just before we go away, getting orders up to date and sent out, washing, ironing, mowing the lawn etc etc and what seems like a swear word to (some) men - PACKING - why is it that men and packing just don't go hand in hand? I don't even mind packing hubby's stuff but he hasn't even got anything out yet. Not being very good at 'not' saying what I think I did highlight the fact that time was moving on etc etc. He made some movement and managed to get 'socks' out, nothing else but just socks?????? AAGH.

Moving on - I hope everyone's having a good half term for those with children and at least the weather has decided to pick up, although the weekend was glorious. We did the rounds at a couple of car boots and will share the great goodies with you on my return.

We've met up with friends at local country parks, played football and a bit more football, and a bit more. On Wednesday we went to visit my mum. I was hoping she'd be the one to help sort out my crochet, but to no avail! She's forgotten how to do it!

Interestingly enough, in the 60's she used to make crochet hats as they were all the rage, and she sold them! We then had a good route through some of her old books. One Ladybird book was given to her by her school and had a book plate in it with the date of 1956! Of course it was written in ink pen. Writing with ink pens seem to be a thing of the past now. Typically I didn't have my camera so can't share some pics. She had Milly Molly Mandy - remember those. Little Black Sambo - you certainly can't get those anymore.

I also found out that my grandparents had all the Beryl Ware, but I think it's all gone now. My grandmother doesn't like clutter and tends to get rid of everything - blast!

Well, I won't waffle on any further. Enjoy what's left of the half term and I'll see some of you tomorrow, otherwise I'll catch up with you all on my return. I might be tempted to take a sneak peek at your posts as I'm taking the laptop with me (sad I know) as I have to keep on top of emails etc.

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

Hubby picked up a couple of parcels for me which had arrived on Saturday but we weren't in so I was so excited by the time he came home to see what they were.

The first were my PIF goodies from the lovely Alex at Pink Feather Paradise. Inside the wrapped tissue paper which smelt lovely was a super handy little box to store even more of my bits and bobs. Inside that was such a pretty necklace and the colours are so me - even hubby remarked on how apt they were. Alex - you have great foresight! With it was a pretty little flower. Thanks for those Alex.

The next parcel came from the States and Michele from Calico Daisy was paired up with me for the Freestyle Swap which Silkie Sue had organised. Michele sent me a lovely bag with owls on. She had previously asked what I liked that she made and I did say owls so lo and behold that's what I got! She also knew I liked Laura Ashely so sent me a nice notepad along with a pretty hanging cushion.

Unfortunately I didn't take a photo of what I had made for Michele, but it was a hand embroidered Home Sweet Home heart with little flowers on. I then filled it with French lavender. It does rather paltry compared to what she sent me.....

Sunday, 24 May 2009

Yes that's right ladies (and any gentlemen), I've finally taken the bull by the horns, plucked up courage and picked up a crochet hook.

After 1 hour I had made half an attempt at holding the wool correctly in my hands and getting the slip knot right - yes that's right, 1 hour without even having done anything. So much for anticipating a nice stack of granny thingies by the end of the day!!

After the 2nd hour I had sort of managed to do 6 foundation stitches. This was after watching a you tube tutorial and looking through 2 of my books!! I do think I'm doing something dreadfully wrong as I'm just not getting it at all. The tension keeps going awol and I forget then how to do a foundation stitch.

Into the 3rd hour I have now lost the will to live and have thrown my toys out of the pram like a child and have discarded it (just the mess I had made!).

I think I have tried to run before I can walk as I gallantly tried to do a single crochet whatever and then that's when it all went even messier.

Boo Hoo. (note to self - stick to knitting and sewing). There is always something in life you are unable to master and for me it's crochet......

I'm now going to take myself off and sit in the corner to cry!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, 21 May 2009

This post to some will appear very random and a little odd, but I wanted to share with you my love of the humble hankie. Whilst ironing them (yes I do iron hankies!) it occured to me that I've quite a collection and some are so old and not even worth using!

My earliest memory of having a hankie was in primary school. I had a little brown case I used to take which could only fit my knitted cardigan in and of course my hankie. Unfortunately most of my original ones have either been lost or got too old, but I do have a couple which are not standing the test of time and you can't use if you have bad cold! I have to carry a hankie wherever I go, but not up my sleeve - how many grannies still have their tissue or hankie tucked up their sleeve. Mine used to have her's tucked into her watch!

Anyway here's 2 oldies - faded and holey...

These hankies were bought in Liberty's many years ago and they are still as crisp as the day I first had them

Monday, 18 May 2009

I made her yesterday with a view to possibly adding her to the website, and I think she turned out rather well, what do you think? She's very dinky but so cute. I couldn't think of a name, so I asked the boys this morning. Toby grunted and rolled over in his bed (more of that in a mo), and Jack who was full of the joy's of Spring said 'Lucy' so I hereby name my pink critter 'Lucy'.

Getting Toby motivated this morning was like oh I don't know - difficult. I did feel for him and would have loved to have said 'don't worry, stay at home today' but can you imagine Jack's reaction? Anyway, Toby's in the middle of his optional SATs. He's not bothered by them, but he always puts so much effort into everything he does, and then pays the price for it at a later date. Roll on Friday I think.

We went to see Coraline at the weekend. Great film, scary in places and I thought it was quite a 'dark' film but the boys enjoyed it and the detail in it was fab.

Don't ask me why but on Friday evening I decided to make a cushion. I was pooped out after getting orders made up and posted, so I should have just grabbed a glass of wine and bar of chocolate..........but I just fancied making something for our house! It's not technically accurate in places but I can get away by saying it adds to the character! I thought it looked quite sweet on the little green chair.

Thursday, 14 May 2009

Jack was up with the lark this morning. It's hubby's birthday today "Happy Birthday to you, tra la la la la la" so Jack was in full crafty mode making and sticking before he went to school. Unfortunately the pop up balloon card photo doesn't do it justice. I don't know how he does them but he's really good at pop up cards.

Both boys thought daddy would be off work today but alas not. I made him a marmalade cake yesterday which went horribly wrong. Stupid me decided to pour the marmalade syrup onto the cake before getting it out of the cake tin - you can imagine what happened next...............I turned it over, it got stuck to the plate face down, when I tried to lift it up the cake fell apart. However, it does apparently taste nice.

Moving on..........the boys trundled off to school with their lift share so I took a walk round the garden, camera in tow. Despite the fact it's rained heavily, there was something rather magical about the garden this morning. The cloud was low so was making it hazy, the smell of the rain on the plants and the fragrance from the flowers was heavenly. I wish I could bottle it. It was so still and quiet apart from the birds singing - blissful.........

Anyway enjoy the photo's, I can't name the plants as I either don't know what they're called or I can't spell them, ha ha.

Monday, 11 May 2009

Hello again, back to a 5 day working week again, but not long till the next - yipee!

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We were out and about in between catching up on my orders, domestic jobs etc etc. I don't know about anyone else but I often go through bouts of insomnia and this weekend happened to be one of those times. I've had about 7 hours in 3 nights - how pants is that? Consequently this morning I'm going to need copious amounts of coffee. Fortunately kind hubby made up a flask of it before he went to work and it's now all gone and not really kicking in..........em.

Anyway onwards and upwards. I thought I'd share with you some of my fab buys over the last couple of weekends. As most of you probably know Laura Ashely has recently had a sale and I indulged in a couple of very reasonable buys.

I can't remember how much they were but these pretty blue wine glasses were 30% off with an extra 10%. I don't need anymore glasses, but quite fancied drinking my weekend tipple out of them!

I rather liked the table mats so bought those too - don't they go well with the oilcloth?

I popped into a charity shop on Saturday and look at the stash of Ladybird books I got - all for £2.00. The ladies in the shop thought I was a little barmy as I was literally jumping and whooping for joy! They also kindly took my name and number to call me if and when anymore come in.

In my quest to learn to crochet, I took one step further and bought a magazine on it with a bonus of a hook and some wool. I will crochet this year!

Yesterday we went to a couple of boot sales, not much on offer, however I did get 2 items I've always wanted so actually not bad then?!

The first is a Fisher Price Jalopy. The clown's hat is chipped but I didn't care - not for a £1!!!!!!!!! How silly am I though - they had lots of other Fisher Price but I didn't get them. Jack was moaning in the background, his flake had fallen out of his ice-cream, Toby was wittering on so it put me off I think (well that's my excuse).

My other find was a children's wheelbarrow. The man selling it seemed rather embarrassed to charge me £2.00 especially as it's rusty in places - all the better I said!!Lastly! - Rachel over at Contented is doing a seaside swap so if you fancy it, pop over to her blog.

Thursday, 7 May 2009

I do have to despair at the male species sometimes. They have an ability to forget on more than one occasion, can't see what's right in front of them and can only achieve one task at a time and any more than that, the world then crashes down etc etc etc etc.

The male in question happens to be my 9yr old, and maybe I should make allowances for that fact that he is a child. My excuse is that I'm doing him a favour for his later years.

It started yesterday - he had to go to school with a couple of extra items - football boots, and his cooking ingredients for his yummy lunch they were doing. He also had to do a class assembly and should have taken in all his bits and pieces which he forgot (he hadn't told me so I couldn't remind him).

At the end of the day, I picked them up and we had to run out of school as Jack had football which starts at 3.30 over the other side of town so always a rush. Get into the car, drive off and I said to Toby - do you have your football boots 'No', do you have the ingredient containers 'No', have you got your water bottle 'No'. The only thing he remembered to bring out was himself - doh.........There was no time to turn round and get them all so on we went to football. End of Wednesday.

This morning Toby got dressed and the trousers he put on were too big. Never mind I said, just turn the top of the trousers over. His other numerous pairs of trousers were spinning round in the washing machine. I apparently should have washed them lastnight according to him - hellooooo. I did let that comment go. As he has a cold I told him to put a pack of tissues in his pocket.

I then went downstairs and saw that the washing machine had finished so quickly got a pair of trousers out and started to tumble dry them. Went back upstairs to finish getting ready, told Toby to take the ones he had on off which he did. He then went downstairs to wait for the tumble dryer to finish, meanwhile he had left his MP3 blaring upstairs. By this point my blood was beginning to boil.

Anyway, I got the trousers out of the tumble dryer, sent Jack upstairs to get the pack of tissues from Toby's original trouser pocket. (I hope you are all keeping up!!!!). He couldn't find them, Toby then went upstairs - he couldn't find them either. Despite being told to put them in his pocket, he had put them down somewhere in his room and then they somehow vanished..........

He has the ability to work out complex maths problems in his head (I have to use a calculator to make sure he's got the answer right!!) but yet simple tasks seem to overwhelm him.

Oddly enough, as soon as I returned from dropping them off at school I found them - they were lying in full view on his bookcase. I rest my case.

So that's that really. I may come back in another life as a knitted teddy. Tra la la.

Wednesday, 6 May 2009

I'm very naughty as I always forget to take my camera out with me, but I gave myself the day off on Sunday and we went to the local country park (again!) with some friends. It was cooler than the previous time but yet again we managed to get sunburnt!

The boys have such a great time, and we took buckets and spades along as there is a man made beach which is always good fun. We did also take the kitchen sink or what felt like it - picnic, alcohol, coffee, change of clothes, towels, sun cream, magazines, toys, jumpers, jackets........sometimes you end up taking just as much for a day out as you would if you were going on holiday for a week!

To round the day off, we went to the local pub for a meal, sat outside and watched the children play. 9 hours later they still had energy!! and weren't quite ready to go home - bizarre!

Saturday, 2 May 2009

I don't normally buy magazines, but feel I can justify them if they've got lots of useful projects in, be it craft/cooking etc.

A while ago I bought Crafts Beautiful where there were so many pretty ideas to implement, I decided to subscribe to it. This month in particular there are some fab projects to do.

The first are some ideas for Father's day. I really like the gift tag which has used the paper Union Jack chains you can buy. Simple but effective.

The next is quite a nice idea for children - some Union Jack handpainted mugs and egg cups. Buy some plain white mugs and decorate them using special ceramic paint and voila!

On the same page is a bag which I fell completely in love with - again staying with the Union Jack theme but using floral fabrics - divine.

Definitely some projects to add to the ever growing list. Does anyone else have a project list of things you really want to make and do, but find other events dictate? Might have to have a re-think on the work/life balance.

Enjoy the 3 days whatever you're planning.

PS - Got some great Laura Ashley bargains this morning. Up to 50% off with an additional 10%!!!! - will share those items with you next week.